Nigerian airlines have sharply increased their minimum base fares, pushing one-way domestic tickets to as high as N200,000 and above.
The almost 100% fare hike, observed across major carriers, comes as aviation fuel (Jet A1) now sells for around N2,650 per litre at airports nationwide.
Searches on airline booking portals showed significant upward reviews by most operators. United Nigeria Airlines set its minimum base fare at N200,000 regardless of route.
Air Peace raised fares to approximately N211,600, while Ibom Air adjusted to about N200,300.
In contrast, Arik Air maintained fares between N113,000 and N114,000 on the Abuja-Lagos route, Aero Contractors ranged from N123,127 to N146,702 on selected routes, and ValueJet stood between N118,571 and N132,857 for Lagos-Abuja flights.
Industry sources attributed the increases to mounting operational costs, dwindling cash flows, and the unsustainable burden of high Jet A1 prices.
An airline official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the adjustments followed extensive internal consultations and careful assessment of economic realities.
“We have adjusted our minimum fares to a minimum of N200,000 per flight irrespective of the route. This is something we have done with a lot of pain... We cannot continue to subsidise travellers with the current situation of Jet A1,” the source said.
“Without the adjustment, there will be a serious crisis in the industry. Cash flows have run out and debts are mounting.”
The official stressed that the decision was taken individually by airlines rather than through collective action, and appealed to passengers for understanding, describing the hike as unavoidable for the survival of domestic carriers.
“The Federal Government had earlier promised intervention measures to cushion the impact of rising aviation fuel prices, but as of Tuesday, no concrete steps had been taken,” the report noted.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com